Cycloauration of pyridyl sulphonamides

The pyridyl-2-alkylsulfonamides C₅H₄N(CH₂)nNHSO₂R (n = 1,2; R = Me, Ph or p-C₆H₄Me) and 8-(p-tosylamino)quinoline undergo facile cycloauration reactions with H[AuCl₄] in water, giving metallacyclic complexes coordinated through the pyridyl (or quinolyl) nitrogen atom and the deprotonated nitrogen of the sulfonamide group. The complexes have been fully characterised by NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The X-ray crystal structures of two derivatives reveal the presence of non-planar sulfonamide nitrogen atoms. The complexes show low activity against P388 murine leukaemia cells, possibly as a result of their ease of reduction with mild reducing agents

The cycloauration of pyridine-2-thiocarboxamide ligands

Reactions of H[AuCl₄] with N-substituted 2-pyridine thiocarboxamide ligands 2-(C₅H₄N)C(S)NHR (R= p-C₆H₄Me, CH₂Ph, Me, p-C₆H₄OMe) gave cycloaurated derivatives {(C₅H₄N)C(S)NR}AuCl₂, with the ligand bonded as the thiol tautomer through the deprotonated SH group and the pyridine N atom to give a five-membered metallacyclic ring. The X-ray structure determination of the R = CH₂Ph derivative shows a square-planar gold(III) complex that dimerises in the solid state by weak Au...S intermolecular interactions. In contrast, in the reaction of H[AuCl₄] with 2-(C₅H₄N)C(S)NHR where R = 2-pyridyl, the ligand was oxidised to give a 1,2,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-a]pyridinium heterocyclic ring that was crystallographically characterised

Five-coordinate gold(III) complexes of the Kläui ligands [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Co{P(O)(OR)₂}₃]− (R°=°Me, Et)

The reactions of cycloaurated gold(III) dichloride complexes [LAuCl₂] (L°=°2-C₆H₄CH₂NMe₂ or 2-C₆H₄PPh₂ NPh) with monoanionic tripodal oxygen donor Kläui ligands [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Co{P(O)(OR) ₂}₃]− (R°=°Me or Et) results in the formation of cationic gold(III) salts [LAu{OP(OR) ₂}₃Co(η⁵-C₅H₅)]+. An X-ray structure determination on [(2-C₆H₄PPh₂ NPh)Au{OP(OR) ₂}₃Co(η⁵-C₅H₅)]BF₄shows that the Kläui ligand coordinates strongly to the gold through two oxygen atoms, and weakly through the third, giving the gold(III) a distorted square pyramidal geometry. This is the first structurally characterised example of this geometry for gold(III) with ligands other than those containing rigid bipyridine or phenanthroline backbones. In solution at room temperature there is rapid interchange (on the NMR timescale) between the oxygen atoms of the Kläui ligands, which is frozen out on cooling

Cycloaurated triphenylphosphine-sulfide and –selenide

The first examples of cycloaurated phosphine sulfides and triphenylphosphine selenide have been synthesised; these complexes are fairly rare examples of gold(III) complexes with potentially reducing sulfur- and selenium-donor ligands. The cycloaurated complex (AuCl₂ (2-C₆H₄P(S)Ph₂) was synthesised in good yield by transmetallation of the organomercury precursor Hg(2-C₆H₄P(S)Ph₂)₂ with Me₄N[AuCl₄]. A route to the chloro-mercury analogue ClHg(2-C₆H₄P(S)Ph₂) was developed by reaction of the cyclomanganated triphenylphosphine sulfide (CO)₄Mn(2-C₆H₄P(S)Ph₂) with HgCl₂; this mercury substrate was also used in the synthesis of AuCl₂(2-C₆H₄P(S)Ph₂). The cycloaurated triphenylphosphine selenide complex AuCl₂(2-C₆H₄P(Se)Ph₂) was synthesised by an analogous methodology using the new phosphine selenide Hg(2-C₆H₄P(Se)Ph₂)₂ [prepared from Hg(2-C₆H₄PPh₂)₂ and elemental Se under sonication]. The phosphonamidic analogue AuCl₂(2-C₆H₄P(S)(Net₂)₂) has also been synthesised from PhP(S)(Net₂)₂via lithiation and mercuration. X-Ray crystal structures of several compounds are reported, and show the presence of puckered ring systems

Synthesis and reactivity of gold(III) complexes containing cycloaurated iminophosphorane ligands

Transmetallation reactions of ortho-mercurated iminophosphoranes (2-ClHgC₆H₄)Ph₂P NR with [AuCl₄]⁻ gives new cycloaurated iminophosphorane complexes of gold(III) (2-Cl₂AuC₆H₄)Ph₂P NR [R = (R,S)- or (S)-CHMePh, p-C₆H₄F, tBu], characterised by NMR and IR spectroscopies, ESI mass spectrometry and an X-ray structure determination on the chiral derivative R = (S)-CHMePh. The chloride ligands of these complexes can be readily replaced by the chelating ligands thiosalicylate and catecholate; the resulting derivatives show markedly higher anti-tumour activity versus P388 murine leukaemia cells compared to the parent chloride complexes. Reaction of (2-Cl₂AuC₆H₄)Ph₂P NPh with PPh₃ results in displacement of a chloride ligand giving the cationic complex [(2-Cl(PPh₃)AuC₆H₄)Ph₂P NPh]⁺, indicating that the P N donor is strongly bonded to the gold centre

Synthesis and characterisation of isomeric cycloaurated complexes derived from the iminophosphorane Ph₃P=NC(O)Ph

Using different organomercury substrates, two isomeric cycloaurated complexes derived from the stabilised iminophosphorane Ph₃P NC(O)Ph were prepared. Reaction of Ph₃P NC(O)Ph with PhCH₂Mn(CO)₅ gave the manganated precursor (CO)₄Mn(2-C₆H₄C(O)N PPh₃), metallated on the C(O)Ph substituent, which yielded the organomercury complex ClHg(2-C₆H₄C(O)N PPh₃) by reaction with HgCl₂ in methanol. Transmetallation of the mercurated derivative with Me₄N[AuCl₄] gave the cycloaurated iminophosphorane AuCl₂(2-C₆H₄C(O)N PPh₃) with an exo PPh₃ substituent. The endo isomer AuCl₂(2-C₆H₄Ph₂P NC(O)Ph) [aurated on a PPh₃ ring] was obtained by an independent reaction sequence, involving reaction of the diarylmercury precursor Hg(2-C₆H₄P( NC(O)Ph)Ph₂)₂ [prepared from the known compound Hg(2-C₆H₄PPh₂)₂ and PhC(O)N₃] with Me₄N[AuCl₄]. Both of the isomeric iminophosphorane derivatives were structurally characterised, together with the precursors (2-HgClC₆H₄)C(O)N PPh₃ and (CO)₄Mn(2-C₆H₄C(O)N PPh₃). The utility of ³¹P NMR spectroscopy in monitoring reaction chemistry in this system is described

Orthomercurated and cycloaurated derivatives of the iminophosphorane Ph3P NPh

Ortho-lithiation of Ph3P NPh followed by reaction with HgCl2 gave good yields of [Hg{C6H4(PPh2 NPh)-2}Cl], 3, which was characterised spectroscopically and by an X-ray crystal structure determination. This is an isomer of the product of direct mercuration of Ph3P NPh which occurs on the N-bonded phenyl ring [J. Vicente, J.A. Abad, R. Clemente, J. Lopez-Serrano, M.C. Ramirez de Arellano, P.G. Jones, D. Bautista, Organometallics, 22 (2003) 4248]. Transmetallation of 3 with [AuCl4]− gave the corresponding cycloaurated complex [Au{κ2-C,N-C6H4(PPh2 NPh)-2}Cl2], with a five-membered metallocyclic ring incorporating four different elements

Population status, seasonal variation in abundance, and long-term population trends of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) at the South Farallon Islands, California

We examined seasonal and annual variation in numbers of Steller (northern) sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) at the South Farallon Islands from counts conducted weekly from 1974 to 1996. Numbers of adult and subadult males peaked during the breeding season (May–July), whereas numbers of adult females and immature individuals peaked during the breeding season and from late fall through early winter (September–December). The seasonal pattern varied significantly among years for all sexes and age classes. From 1977 to 1996, numbers present during the breeding season decreased by 5.9% per year for adult females and increased by 1.9% per year for subadult males. No trend in numbers of adult males was detected. Numbers of immature individuals also declined by 4.5% per year during the breeding season but increased by 5.0% per year from late fall through early winter. Maximum number of pups counted declined significantly through time, although few pups were produced at the South Farallon Islands. The ratio of adult females to adult males averaged 5.2:1 and declined significantly with each year, whereas no trend in the ratio of pups to adult females was discernible. Further studies are needed to determine if reduced numbers of adult females in recent years have resulted from reduced survival of juvenile or adult females or from changes in the geographic distribution of females

Past approaches and future directions for targeting tumor hypoxia in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck

AbstractRecurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) carries a poor prognosis. Tumor hypoxia (TH) has been implicated as one of many factors contributing to SCCHN recurrence. TH leads to radiation resistance by reversing radiation-induced DNA damage. Effective strategies to overcome TH may improve outcomes in patients with SCCHN. We searched the English literature on PubMed and reviewed the reference sections of key articles related to TH (publications spanning from the early 1900s to the present). We summarized the underlying theory of TH in SCCHN, methods for quantifying it, and the numerous therapies developed to modulate it. We included articles that set the foundation of TH as a theory and the most relevant articles published within the last 15 years related to TH quantification and therapeutic targeting. Despite extensive research, targeting TH in SCCHN has not become a part of routine clinical practice in North America, and we analyze the pitfalls in hypoxia research that have led to this failure. We propose that future studies should test a combined approach of targeting the immune system in addition to cellular pathways rendered aberrant in TH and should include development of novel surrogate markers of TH and/or TH imaging